'(V) William, supposed to be son of Thomas (4) and Mary Reed, of Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire, was born in England 1587 and was the oldest of the immigrants of this surname. He sailed from London in the ship "Defense" July 4, 1635, Captain Edward Fostick, and arrived in Boston October 6, same year, with his wife, who was Mabel Kendall, born 1605. They had with them children: George, born 1629, Ralph, 1630, and Justice (afterward called Abigail), 1633. Reed settled first at Dorchester, Massachusetts. He was admitted a freeman March 4, 1638. In August 1639, he sold his real estate in Dorshester to Thomas Clark, and removed to Scituate where he was constable in 1644. His wife made the journey to Dorchester on horseback in 1644 to have her infant son Israel baptized. William Reed removed to Muddy River (Brookline), having bought of Esdras Reed, said to have been his brother, a farm granted by the town of Boston, and he lived there until 1648. He then bought a farm in Woburn of Nicholas David and removed thither. He is the ancestor of the Woburn, Lexington, Bedford and Burlington Reads, and of most of the Reads in Maine. He returned to England finally and died at Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1656. A letter of administration was taken out by his widow under Oliver Cromwell. She returned to America and after adminstrating the estate, married, November 21, 1660, Henry Summers of Woburn. She survived her second husband and lived with her son George at the time of her death, June 5, 1690, in her eighty-sixth year. Children: 1. George, born 1629, 2. Ralph, 1630, married Mary Pierce, daughter of Anthony Pierce, of Watertown. 3. Abigail, 1633, married Francis Wyman. 4. Bethia, born in America, married John Johnson. 5. Israel, 1642, married Mary Kendall, daughter of Francis. 6. Sarah, married, September 10, 1662, Samuel Walker. 7. Rebecca, married Joseph Winn.

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Francis Kendall was named as her brother during a suit over the will of her second husband. He had left substantial legacies to his step-children, and his heir brought the suit.

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She returned to England with her first husband, William Reed, but after his death returned to New England with her four youngest children.

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Immigrated to America at age 30 on the "Defence"

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From Sewall's History of Woburn: "They took up their abode in Woburn, upon land sold Mr. Reed by Nicholas Davis. Their dwelling-house stood in a pasture, called the Baldwin Pasture,on the road from Kendall's mill to the Messrs. Duren. The pasture is now [1868] owned by them; and remains of Mr. Reed's cellar and well are still to be seen there. But, ere many years,William Reed and his wife Mabel returned to England. He died at Newcastle, upon Tyne, æt. 69; and not haveing appointed executors in his will, letters of administration were granted by Oliver Cromwell, the Portector, 31 Oct. 1656, to his widow, Mabel, who speedily returned with her four youngest children to New England; married Henry Summers, senior, of Woburn, 21 Nov 1660; and, outliving him, died at the house of her son George, 5 Jun 1690, aged 85 years."

William came to New England, probably in the Defence in 1635, aged 48, with his wife Mabel, 30; George, 6; Ralph, 5; and Justus, 18 months. He was was freeman 14 Mar 1639. He resided in Dorchester, removed probably first to Rehoboth, or perhaps lived at Woburn.

From Sewall's History of Woburn:37 "They took up their abode in Woburn, upon land sold Mr. Reed by Nicholas Davis. Their dwelling-house stood in a pasture, called the Baldwin Pasture, on the road from Kendall's mill to the Messrs. Duren. The pasture is now [1868] owned by them; and remains of Mr. Reed's cellar and well are still to be seen there. But, ere many years, William Reed and his wife Mabel returned to England. He died at Newcastle, upon Tyne, æt. 69; and not haveing appointed executors in his will, letters of administration were granted by Oliver Cromwell, the Portector, 31 Oct. 1656, to his widow, Mabel, who speedily returned with her four youngest children to New England; married Henry Summers, sen., of Woburn, 21 Nov. 1660; and, outliving him, died at the house of her son George, 5 [15?] Jun 1690, aged 85 years."37

Children:

5719 i. George (ca1627-1706)

5720 ii. Ralph (ca1630-1711)

5721 iii. Justice (ca1634-)

5722 iv. Michael (1636-)

5723 v. Abigail (1638-)

5724 vi. Bethiah (1640-ca1717)

5725 vii. Israel (ca1642-1711)

5726 viii. Sarah (ca1643-1681)

5727 ix. Rebecca (1647-1734)

On 21 Nov 1660 Mabel second married Henry Summers, at Woburn, MA.38

Henry was Surveyor for Woburn 23 Feb 1663/4. He was taxed there in the Rate for the Country 26 Aug 1666.37

William came to New England, probably in the Defence in 1635, aged 48, with his wife Mabel, 30; George, 6; Ralph, 5; and Justus, 18 months. He was was freeman 14 Mar 1639. He resided in Dorchester, removed probably first to Rehoboth, or perhaps lived at Woburn.

From Sewall’s History of Woburn:34 “They took up their abode in Woburn, upon land sold Mr. Reed by Nicholas Davis. Their dwelling-house stood in a pasture, called the Baldwin Pasture, on the road from Kendall’s mill to the Messrs. Duren. The pasture is now [1868] owned by them; and remains of Mr. Reed’s cellar and well are still to be seen there. But, ere many years, William Reed and his wife Mabel returned to England. He died at Newcastle, upon Tyne, æt. 69; and not haveing appointed executors in his will, letters of administration were granted by Oliver Cromwell, the Portector, 31 Oct. 1656, to his widow, Mabel, who speedily returned with her four youngest children to New England; married Henry Summers, sen., of Woburn, 21 Nov. 1660; and, outliving him, died at the house of her son George, 5 [15?] Jun 1690, aged 85 years.”34